“Pollination: Encaustic Works from New Mexico Including Many Members of the EAI”

IN COLLABORATION WITH THE SANTA FE BOTANICAL GARDEN AND ECOVERSITY COMMUNITY GALLERY PROGRAMMING

The City of Santa Fe Community Gallery announces, in collaboration with the Santa Fe Botanical Garden and Ecoversity “Pollination- Encaustic Works from New Mexico”. The Community Gallery will feature an exhibition presenting the wonder of encaustic painting as well as educational and inspired programming regarding the history and myriad encaustic techniques available to artists in that media, which relies on bees wax. Inherent in the subject matter of this exhibit are the numerous environmental impacts of civilization on bee populations and their role in our lives as vital pollinators. Over 20 artists in encaustic media will offer a full range of work that expresses both the beauty of the materials they use as well as the exacting nature of encaustic work.

Numerous community events will connect visitors more closely to the natural environment through informative workshop/demonstrations for community education.

Workshop/Demonstration Calendar of Events for Pollination- FREE to the public!

Harriette Tsosie
Saturday, June 26th, 1-4 pm
In the Community Gallery- 201 W. Marcy (at the Sheridan intersection)
Harriette Tsosie will give a short talk on the history of encaustic (pigmented wax) painting and demonstrate her encaustic process. Tsosie has been painting with wax for seven years. She is president of the Encaustic Art Institute and is represented by the Institute as well as FLUX Contemporary, Albuquerque.

Sallyann Paschall
Saturday, July 24th, 1-4 pm
In the Community Gallery- 201 W. Marcy (at the Sheridan intersection)
Sallyann Paschall will do an encaustic demonstration of not only basic encaustic techniques but techniques that incorporate collage elements into encaustic work. The basic demonstration will be followed by a chance for the audience to experience encaustics for themselves. Each participant will be given a small block of wood with which to experiment. Each person may then take their newly made work of encaustic art home with them.

Russell Thurston
Saturday, August 7, 1-4 pm
In the Community Gallery- 201 W. Marcy (at the Sheridan intersection)
One of the more challenging aspects of encaustic painting is creating fine details. Over the years, Russell has developed various ways of adding oil paints, oil sticks, and dry pigments to facilitate detail work. While these methods can be difficult to control and require some skill: they offer additional choices in encaustic painting.
More specifically, Russell will demonstrate:
1) How to etch or emboss the surface of an encaustic painting with various tools and then apply oils, oil sticks, or pigments.
2) How to handle the differences in how the oil media responds to heat versus how wax responds.
3) How to use wax paper to mask parts of the painting to create particular effects such as fine details.
Russell will also cover the basics of straight painting with oils, oil sticks or pigments on the surface of a painting, then scraping with tools to remove some of the oil color, followed by heating with a gun or lamp to fuse the surface.

The Community Gallery is located inside the Santa Fe Community Convention Center, 201 West Marcy Street, at the intersection of Sheridan Street. Public parking is available in the Center garage, located off Federal Avenue. The Community Gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

“The intent of this exhibit is to illuminate the inter-connectedness we, as humans, have with our environment in the past, present and future,” states gallery manager Rod Lambert. “It is vital to understand, in light of numerous environmental catastrophes in our recent past, the results our footprint has on the natural world. As we celebrate our 400th anniversary, we should strive to preserve the ecosystems which contribute to the beauty and power of place so evident in Santa Fe.”

The work of over 20 artists will be represented in the “Pollination” exhibit, with a variety of encaustic techniques, styles and price points. The exhibit will include work by: Trina Badarak, Paige Baillie, Martha Rea Baker, Kelly Barrett, Francisco Benitez, Helen Cozza, Linda Fillhardt, Christy Hengst, Maureen Howles, Sandra Lerner, Stephanie Lerma, Joyce Macrorie, Sallyann Paschall, Teena Robinson, Paula Roland, Diane Rolnick, Susan Shaffer, Russell Thurston, Harriette Tsosie, Shawn Turung, Paula Verona, Carol Ware and Susan Zimmerman.

The Community Gallery promotes, sells and exhibits the work of New Mexico artists and artisans, with the emphasis on Santa Fe, through exhibitions, professional training and community involvement in the arts. Community Gallery programming provides a range of services, exhibitions and activities that engage the public as well as support the efforts of local artists and artisans. As a result, the gallery is a hub for viewing and exhibiting exciting artworks and brings the community to art as well as art to the community. For more information about the Community Gallery, visit www.SantaFeArtsCommission.org, send an email to rdlambert@santafenm.gov or call 505-955-6705.